Spectral wave modeling of tsunami waves in Pohang New Harbor (South Korea) and Paradip Port (India)

Ocean Dynamics - A coupled numerical model is developed based on the spectral element method (SEM) and boundary element method (BEM) to predict the characteristics of tsunami wave response on...     

Thermohaline structure of an inverse estuary--The Gulf of Kachchh: measurements and model simulations

The Gulf of Kachchh (GoK) is situated in the northeastern Arabian Sea. The presence of several industries along its coastal belt makes GoK a highly sensitive coastal ecosystem. In the present study, an attempt is made for the first time to study GoK thermohaline structure and its variability, based on field measurements and model simulations. Though GoK is considered as a well-mixed system, the study reveals that only the central Gulf is well mixed. Vertical gradients in temperature and salinity fields are noticed in the eastern Gulf, where a cold and high saline tongue is observed in the subsurface layers. Salinity indicates the characteristic feature of an inverse estuary with low values (37.20 psu) near the mouth and high values (>40.0 psu) near the head of the Gulf. The model simulated temperature and salinity fields exhibit semidiurnal oscillations similar to that of field observations. Model results show cold, high saline waters advecting from the east during ebb forming a transition zone, which oscillates with tides. A high salinity tongue is seen in the bottom layer, indicating a westward flowing bottom current. The transient zone acts as an dynamic barrier, and plays a vital role in the pollutant transport.     

Spectral characteristics of the nearshore waves off Paradip,India during monsoon and extreme events

Spectral and statistical wave parameters obtained from the measured time series wave data off Paradip, east coast of India during May 1996–January 1997 were analysed along with MIKE 21 spectral wave model (SW) results. Statistical wave parameters and directional wave energy spectra distinctly separate out the wave conditions that prevailed off Paradip in the monsoon, fair weather and extreme weather events during the above period. Frequency-energy spectra during extreme events are single peaked, and the maximum energy distribution is in a narrow frequency band with an average directional spreading of 20°. Spectra for other seasons are multi-peaked, and energy is distributed over a wide range of frequencies and directions. The NCEP re-analysis winds were used in the model, and the results clearly bring out the wave features during depressions. The simulated wave parameters reasonably show good match with the measurements. For example, the correlation coefficient between the measured and modelled significant wave height is 0.87 and the bias −0.25.     

Evolution of the north-polar cap of Mars: a modelling study

Celestial-mechanical computations show that, even stronger than for Earth, Mars is subject to Milankovi? cycles, that is, quasi-periodic variations of the orbital parameters obliquity, eccentricity and precession. Consequently, solar insolation varies on time-scales of 10⁴-10⁵ years. It has long been supposed that this entails climatic cycles like the terrestrial glacial-interglacial cycles. This hypothesis is supported by the light-dark layered deposits of the north- and south-polar caps indicating a strongly varying dust content of the ice due to varying climate conditions in the past. This study aims at simulating the dynamic and thermodynamic evolution of the north-polar cap (NPC) of Mars with the ice-sheet model SICOPOLIS. The boundary conditions of surface accumulation, ablation and temperature are derived directly from the solar-insolation history by applying the newly developed model MAIC. We consider steady-state scenarios under present climate conditions as well as transient scenarios over climatic cycles. It is found that the NPC is most likely not in steady state with the present climate. The topography of the NPC is mainly controlled by the history of the surface mass balance. Ice flow, which is of the order of , plays only a minor role. In order to build up the present cap during the last five million years of relatively low obliquities, a present accumulation rate of water equiv a⁻¹ is required. Computed basal temperatures are far below pressure melting for all simulations and all times.